Work-support for soles of boots and shoes.



W. H. HOOPER & T. H. SEELY.

WORK SUPPORT FOR SOLES 0F 5007s AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912. 1,141,462, Patented June 1, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

v Zhswirv THE NORRIS PETERS c0 PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON D rv W. H. HOOPER & T. H. SEELY.

WORK SUPPORT FOR SOLES 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

m m Mm 1w W W m hfifll APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, I912- THE NORRIS PLILK: ca. PHoT0-L!THO., WASHINGTON, u C

W. H. HOOPER & T. H. SEELY.

WORK SUPPORT FOR SOLES 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLXCATION FILED NOV. 4. l9l2.

Patented June 1, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

LEQLQQ.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca, F'HOTOVLITHOH WASHINGTON. D. c

W. H. HOOPER & T. H. SEELY.

WORK SUPPORT FOR SOLES 0F BOOTS AND SHOES. APPLICATION FILED NOV-4,19I2.

1,141,462. Patented June 1, 1915'.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THE NORRIS PETERS C04, FHDTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTONv D. C,

" To sTas PATENT orTTcn WILLIAM H. HOOPER, OF LYNN, AND THOMAS H. SEELY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOBS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF IPATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORK-SUPPORT FOR SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

LldiA-SZ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed November 4, 1912. Serial No. 729,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM H. Hoornn and THOMAS H. SEELY, citizens of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, and Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVork-Supports for Soles of Boots and Shoes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to work supports which are used in the manufacture of boots and shoes to support the work for an operation during the process of manufac= ture.

As well known to those skilled in the art it is a common practice in the manufacture of boots and shoes to reinforce insoles by applying thereto a sheet of reinforcing fabric. Usually the reinforcing fabric is the latter is supported by a flat surface. When such a reinforced insole is shaped to the bottom of a last in the assembling operation there is danger of displacing the reinforcing fabric owing to the tendency of the reinforcing fabric to resist the bending of the sole. Furthermore it is found that an insole so reinforced resists the free fiexure of the shoe in which it is incorporated, for, in order to bend the sole in walking it is necessary to stretch the reinforcing fabric. 7

The object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and improved work support for supporting a sole, in position to receive a sheet of reinforcing fabric, in such a manner that its channeled face presents a curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, so that the sole has a constant tendency after its reinforcement to assume a bent position approximating its position of fleXure when incorporated in a shoe in use upon the foot. To the accomplishment of thisobject and such others as may hereinafter appear, the features of. the invention relate to certain devices, combinations and arrangements of be'apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be best understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the illvention, in which,

Figure l is a side'elevation of the work supporting head; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 is a front elevation, a portion of the column being broken away to show certain parts in section; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4%, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the work support column; Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of the actuating and locking treadles.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the insole supporting member comprises a horizontal sole supporting form 1 (Figs. 1 and 2) of suitable area, which is sustained by the upper ends of a pair of vertical plates 2 and 2 rising from a circular, rotary head 3. The head 3 is provided with a peripheral depending flange a which embraces abearing or track 5 formed upon the upper end of a column 6 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) supported by a tripod base 7 (Fig. 5). As shown in Fig. 1 the upper surface of the form 1 is curved longitudinally to corre- 1spond to the curvature on the bottom of a ast.

In order that the ball line of each insole to be supported on the form may register with the ball line on the form, the form carries an adjustable toe gage 8 formed upon a pivotally mounted arm 8*. The arm 8" is provided with a longitudinal slot 9 which embraces a cylindrical pin 10 carried by a bracket 11 projecting from the vertical plate 2. The arm 8 carries a finger piece 12 by means of which the operative may slide the arm 8 longitudinally on the pin 10 to register the gage 8 with any desired point on a scale 13 (Fig. 2) marked on the upper surface of the form 1. The arm 8 may be frictionally clamped in adjusted position while permitting its pivotal movement on the pin 10 by means of a butterfly nut 14 threaded on a reduced portion of the pin 10 (Fig. 2).

In order to conform the insole to be operated upon to the curvature of the form there is provided a clamp 15 (Fig. 2) arranged to engage the feather of the insole at the toe, a pair of oppositely disposed clamps l6 ar ranged to engage the feather of the insole at the shank and a fourth clamp 17 arranged to engage the solo at engaging clamp is formed on the arm 8 (Fig. 1) and is arranged to overhang the gage 8.

The shank engaging clamps 16 are formed on the upper ends of arms 18 and 19 which are pivoted between yokes formed on a diamond shaped floating carrier 20 (Fig. 4). The carrier 20 is provided with a third yoke between the arms of which is pivoted a plate 21 loosely supported on the horizontal end of a looped or grass hopper spring 22 the vertical endof which is secured by a screw 23 (Fig. 2) to a block 24 carried by the vertical plate 2. The heel seat engaging clamp 17 comprises a grooved roll rotatably mounted between the arms ofa yoke formed on the end of'a U shaped lever 25 pivotally mounted on a block 26 formed on the end of a horizontal slide 27 mounted to slide in ways formed in the block 24. Longitudinalmovement of the slide 27, in the block 24, is limited by a plunger 28 mounted in a chamber formed in the block 24 and actuated to fricti-"nally engage a groove 29 formed in the slide 27 by a coiled spring 30 interposed between the plunger and a plug 3 1 threaded into the face of the form 1 above the plunger chamber. 7 I V The clamp 17 is held normally against the heelseat ofthe insole by a'spring pressed plunger 33 carried in the outer end of the slide 27 and'arrangedto engage a toe on the lever'25. The lever 25 also carries a finger iece 34 to aid the operative in removing the clamp 17 from the heel seat of the insole against the tension of the plunger 33.

In order to maintain the clamp 15 normally elevated to permit the unobstructed engagement of the toe of the insole with the gage S the arm 8 is connected by a pair of links1'35 with a horizontal lever '36 one end of which works in a slot 37 (Fig.3) formed in the vertical-plate 2 and the other end of whiohis provided with aball 38 arranged in a socket formed in the carrier 20. The end of the lever 36 to which the links '35 are connected is'held inthe position shown in Fig. 1 by a coiled spring 39, somewhat weaker than the spring 22, one end of which is secured to the bottom of the form 1 and the other end of which is secured-to the lever 36.

To normally maintain the shank clamps 16 in an inoperative position the arms 18 and 19 each carry a horizontal pin 40 (Figs.

1 and 4) each of which is held against a lug,

41 formed on the vertical plate 2 by a coiled spring 42, strongerthan'thespring 22, one, end of which is secured to the pin 40 and the other end of which is secured to A Q a horizontal pin43 projecting from the vertical plate 2?.

- In order to bring-the shank clamps into engagement withthe insole the lever 36 is.

the heel seat. The too centrally connected to a vertical hollow rod 7 44 which extends downwardly in the axis of the head 3, within the column 6. The lower end of the rod 44 is closed by a plug 45 which forms a bearing for a vertical sectional rod 46 one section of whichextends within the rod 44 and the other section of which is pivoted to a treadle 47 pivoted on an independent base 48 beneath the column 6. The adjacent ends of the sections of the rod 46' are oppositely threaded and are connected by a turnbuckle 49 which is connected to each section by removable pins50 (Fig. 3). To normally hold the treadle 47 elevated a spring 51 coiled about the is interposed between the plug '45 and a collar 52 secured to the rod.

hen it is desired to prepare the insole tortheapplication of the reinforcing material, "the heel seat of the insole is slipped beneath the rotaryclamp-17'and the toe of rod 46 the insole engaged with the gage 8 which I has previously been adjusted in accordance with the'size of the 1I1SOletO insure the registration of its ball line withthe ball line on the form. The treadle is then depressed. As the spring 39 is 'weaker'than'the springs 22 and 42 the lever 36 is first-turned about its fulcruminthe carrier 20 until the clamp 15 engages the feather of theinsole at the toe. A further depression of the treadle shifts the fulcrumof the lever 36 fromthe carrier 20 to the pivotal connection-between the lever 36andthe links 35. As the spring 22 is weaker than the springs 42 it will be apparent that the tension of the spring '22 will be thefirst t'obeovercome. By overcoming the tension ofthe spring 22 the carrier 20 is "lowered and the arms 18 and 19 rocked'toward the sole. As'shown in Fig. 4 the pivot about which each-arm rocks isthe line of engagement'between the'pins 40 and the lugs '41. The arms 18 and19 move inwardly'until they strikethe edges of the insole (see "Fig. 4). If one arm, for instance thearm 18 (Fig. '4),'strikes1theedge of the insole before ,theother arm does'the carrier turns'about its pivotal connection with the arm 18 untilthe arm 19 strikesthe edge of thesole. Upon a further depression of the treadle 47 the tension ofthe springs 42 are overcome and the clamps 16 brought downward into engagement with the feather of the insole at the shank. engage the feather they bendv the insole at the shank bringingit into engagementwith the form and thus shape the sole to the curvature of the forma- Inorder'to lock the clamps in clamping V position a bracket 53 (Figs. 5 and 6)fdepending from the'base 7 carries a lever 54 As the clamps 16' (Fig. 5) onev end of which is" pivoted to' thei;

treadle 47 andthe other end-of which is formed as a segment'55. Cooperating with is pivotally mounted on an independent stand 57 beneath the base 7 normally held in the path of movement of the segment by a spring 58 one end of which is connected to the pawl and the other end of which is connected to the bracket 53. With this construction when the treadle 47 is depressed the segment 55 is elevated thus permitting the pawl to engage the teeth of the segment. and lock the treadle from depression.

After the insole is clamped in position on the form the operative roughly applies the reinforcing material in the usual manner forcing it into the inside angle of the lip with a suitable hand tool, rotating the head 3 when desired to bring all portions of the reinforcing material into convenient position for operating on with the applying tool.

During the rotation of the head 3 the plug 45 rotates on the rod 46 beneath the spring 51 without imparting rotation to the rod.

When it is desired to unlock the clamps the operative depresses a foot piece 59 connected to the pawl 56. As shown in Fig. 6 the arrangement of the foot piece 59 and the foot piece on the treadle 47 is such that when the operative releases the pawl b pressing the foot piece 59 with the ball of his shoe, the foot piece on the treadle 47 engages his heel as the treadle rises under the influence of the springs which act upon it,

and thus permits the operative to gradually return the clamps to their inoperative position without danger of breakage After the insole is removed from the form its reinforcement is completed in the usual manner on any suitable insole reinforcing machine.

It 'will be clear to those skilled in this class of machines and with the general objects of the present invention in view, that changes may be made in the details of structure, the described and illustrated embodiment thereof being intended as an exploitation of its underlying essentials the features of which are definitely stated in their true scope in the claims herewith.

What is claimed as new. is

1. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, and means for causing a supported sole to conform to the curvature of the form comprising a plurality of clamps for engaging the feather of the sole at separate points. and connected mechanism for operating the clamps, substantially as described.

2. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, a clamp for engaging the sole at the toe, a pair of clamps for engaging the sole at the shank, springs for holding said and shank engaging at the toe,

clamps normally disengaged from the sole, and means for successively operating the toe clamps into yielding engagement with the sole, substantially as described.

3. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conform ity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, a clamp for engaging the sole a pair of clamps for engaging the sole at the shank, and a single means for successively operating the toe and shank engaging clamps, substantially as described.

work support, having, in combination, a rotary sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, sole clamps for en gaging and causing a supported sole to conform to the curvature of the form, mechanism for operating the clamps, actuating means for said mechanism, and means permitting a rotation of said form and mechanism about said actuating means, substantially as described.

A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, a device for gaging and clamping the toe of the sole on the form, a pivot therefor about which the device swings to engage the sole, and an adjusting means for positioning the pivot point to accommodate the device for different sizes of soles, substantially as described.

6. A work support, having, in combina tion a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that of a sole when secured to a last, and means for causing a supported sole to conform to the curvature of the form comprising a. pair of oppositely disposed clamps, means for maintaining the clamps out of engagement with the sole, and means for actuating the clamps first to engage the edges of the sole and then the feather, substantially as described.

7. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, a pair of clamps for engaging the sole at the shank, and means for actuating the clamps to clamp the sole and draw it into conformity to the shape of the support including differential mechanism permitting the clamps to first automatically accommodate themselves to soles of different styles, substantially as described.

8. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in conformity with that of a sole when secured to a last,

formity with that assumed by the sole when secured to a last, a pair of clamps for engaging the sole at theshank, a yieldingly mounted floating carrier therefor, and means for actuating the carrier to bring the clamps first into engagement with the edges of the sole and then with the feather, substantially as described. 7

10. A work support, having, in combination, a sole supporting form shaped to present a predetermined curvature in con formity with that of a sole when securedto a last, a clamp for engaging the sole at the toe, a pair of clamps for engaging the sole at the shank, a plurality of tension devices for maintaining the clamps outof engagement with the sole,and means for overcom ingthetension of the tension devicesto' permit the clamps to engage the sole, substantiallyas described,

11. A work support, having, in combina- 7 tion, a sole supporting form shaped to present'a predetermined curvature in conformity withthat of a sole when secured to a last, a clamp for engaging the soleat the toe, a pair-70f clamps for engaging the sole at the shank, a plurality of tension devices each of a different-tension for maintaining the clamps out of engagement with the sole, and means for. successively overcoming-the tension of thetension devicesto permit the toe engaging clamp to engagethe sole in advance of the shank engaging clamps, substantially as described. 7 v

WVILLIAM H. 'HOOPER.

THOMAS H. SEELY.

-Witnesses:

LAURA MATILDA Goonnlnsn, RUTHELSIE WARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, hyaddrssing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

